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As follow up to "Data Centers are part of the stampede headed to Texas..." the 89th TX Legislature is trying to manage the ever-growing stampede.


Summary: Texas’ electricity demand will eclipse 200,000 megawatts by 2030, a 40 percent jump from today. The largest reason for the increase is the expected growth in the state’s data center footprint. The TX 89th Legislature is trying to stay ahead of the growth.

Latest Update: 09 April, 2025






As follow up to "Data Centers are part of the stampede headed to Texas..." the 89th TX Legislature is trying to manage the ever-growing stampede. [1]


Texas’ electricity demand will eclipse 200,000 megawatts (MW) by 2030, a 40 percent jump from today, the state’s main power grid operator estimated one year after it issued a previous massive increase in its projections. [2]


The largest reason for the increase is the expected growth in the state’s data center footprint — a growing industry needed to support the increasingly online economy. The spike in data center development amounts to a 48,000 MW rise in electricity demand to match, but that’s just from projection to projection. The current data center footprint is negligible, according to the report. That means it’s expected to increase from almost nothing to 78,000 MW in just five years. For context, one MW can power 200 homes during peak demand periods.  [2, 4]


The Texas Senate has passed Senate Bill (SB) 6, a chamber priority that would establish guidelines for data center interconnection onto the ERCOT grid and prove to the state that it’s financially committed to the project.  [2]


And there is a second Senate bill that proposes sweeping administrative rules, imposes fees and requires the Texas Public Utility Commission to approve wind and solar projects BEFORE they can break ground. Accounting for nearly 90% of new electrical generation, wind, solar and battery storage industries have established themselves as a reliable source of energy for the state’s grid — and positioned Texas as a national leader in the renewable energy arena. [3]


However, the best energy choices to supply power for those centers are natural gas and nuclear. [4]


Willow Park Civics Sources and Resources

Texas’ electricity demand will eclipse 200,000 megawatts (MW) by 2030, a 40 percent jump from today, the state’s main power grid operator estimated one year after it issued a previous massive increase in its projections.

Electricity demand in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) region is expected to reach 208,000 MW by 2030, according to the regulator’s latest estimate. The largest reason for the increase is the expected growth in the state’s data center footprint — a growing industry needed to support the increasingly online economy. Another reason for the expansion is the development of artificial intelligence.

The spike in data center development amounts to a 48,000 MW rise in electricity demand to match, but that’s just from projection to projection. The current data center footprint is negligible, according to the report. That means it’s expected to increase from almost nothing to 78,000 MW in just five years. For context, one MW can power 200 homes during peak demand periods.

Last year around this time, ERCOT’s projected 40,000 MW increase from the previous year’s estimate rocked the power industry and legislative worlds, going from over 100,000 MW of need to nearly 150,000 MW. 

Texas is expanding rapidly in population, economic footprint, and electricity use. The Texas Demographic Center estimates the state could add up to three million more people by 2030; more than 300,000 people have been moving to the state per year.

The Texas Senate has passed Senate Bill (SB) 6, a chamber priority that would establish guidelines for data center interconnection onto the ERCOT grid and prove to the state that it’s financially committed to the project. The industry generally opposes the legislation and sees it as a costly regulation that could stymie the expected growth.


Accounting for nearly 90% of new electrical generation, wind, solar and battery storage industries have established themselves as a reliable source of energy for the state’s grid — and positioned Texas as a national leader in the renewable energy arena.

Legislation by state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, will dramatically test its ability to maintain its momentum.

The legislation proposes sweeping administrative rules, imposes fees and requires the Texas Public Utility Commission to approve wind and solar projects before they can break ground. It is the second time Kolkhorst has attempted to tie a tight leash to renewables and deter what she and her allies describe as a visual blight in rural Texas towns and unchecked growth.


Data centers, which have boomed in North Texas, require a great amount of resources, primarily energy and water. The best energy choices to supply power for those centers are natural gas and nuclear,


For the last decade Texas, especially North Texas, has been one of the country’s epicenters of data center growth. Just this week, the new Trump administration announced plans to add $500B to start building out data centers, especially in Texas. And Fort Worth already has plans to attract those funds. Just 25 miles from Willow Park, off I35W, just south of I20, a 141.7-acre data center site will provide a projected $18 million in tax revenue to the Everman ISD. Details in linked blog.

The new Trump administration is already planning to add $500B "to start building out data centers and the electricity generation needed for the further development of the fast-evolving AI in Texas" via the new private Stargate partnership. [1]

For the last decade, "Texas, especially North Texas, remains one of the country’s epicenters of data center growth." Recent data centers building or adding data capacity to North Texas include Microsoft Corp., QTS Realty Trust, Databank, Softbank, Meta / Facebook, and Google. [2]

The Comptroller of Texas maintains a list of currently over 75 data centers in Texas [4], and the U.S. Census reports, "the two most populous states have the nation’s highest share of data center employment: 17% in California and 10% in Texas." Employment is uneven within states, too, with nearly 75% of the Texas datacenter employment in four counties (Travis, Bexar, Collin and Dallas).[5]

And ERCOT "estimates 40,000 MW more load online by 2030 than last year's projection. The load growth is driven by population and economic growth, particularly in the form of crypto mining and data centers." [7]

And that data center growth is stampeding toward Parker County and Willow Park. In December Willow Park Civics reported, 15 miles from Willow Park, Google leases 1.1 million-square-foot in 520-acre Business Park. [3]

In addition, this month -- just 25 miles from Willow Park, off I35W, just south of I20 -- the City of Fort Worth Council approved a 141.7-acre data center site, that will provide a projected $18 million in tax revenue to the Everman Independent School District. [6]

As with all human growth, some see progress and some see destruction, but none has been able to stop human growth for long.

"Neighbors had concerns about the project, but the zoning change to planned development with a specific use zoning was approved with a site plan requirement, an item residents supported." [8]

"Cheryl Shadden doesn’t see herself as an activist. But when a controversy over cryptocurrency landed on her front doorstep, Shadden said, she became a 'redneck warrior.'" [8]

Data centers in the DFW area... and population and commercial growth... present significant challenges for electricity generation, transmission, and distribution while the "Majority of Texans say an electrical grid failure could come this summer, as ERCOT predicts Texas electricity demand could nearly double in six years." [8]

Willow Park Sources and Resources

[1] Trump highlights partnership investing $500 billion in AI, AP Associated Press, 21 January 2025, Excerpts.

[1] Trump, Dubai Billionaire Unveil $20 Billion for US Data Centers, Badlands News Brief, 08 January 2025

While it is unclear how the investment will be allocated, Texas, especially North Texas, remains one of the country’s epicenters * of data center growth.  *

* DFW Named Top Emerging Tech Market, Dallas Express, 28 July 2023

* North Texas Ranked High for Data Centers, Dallas Express, 25 March 2023

[4] Data Centers in Texas > Comptroller of Texas,

"The new report estimates 40,000 MW more load online by 2030 than last year's projection. The load growth is driven by population and economic growth, particularly in the form of crypto mining and data centers.

[8] Article: Texas Taxpayers Forced to Tithe at Facebook ‘Temple’ Willow Park Civics Blog, posted 13 April 2022

A 900,000-square-foot Hyperscale Data Center for the technology giant Meta, formerly Facebook, was announced late last month. Temple will house the second Meta data center in Texas, with the first located in Fort Worth.


• North Texas Rises to Become One of Top U.S. Data Center Markets, Dallas Innovates, 10 October 2018 [map of 2018 datacenters and clusters]


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